15-year-old tribal school girl raped in Chhattisgarh

Mejharan Toppo, superintendent of the Gutakiya Residential School, and her husband Sunil Toppo have been booked, police said, adding a team of police officials has been sent to arrest the duo.

A 15-year-old tribal girl, student of a residential (ashram) school in Chhattisgarh's Jashpur district, was allegedly raped by the husband of her school superintendent, police said.

Mejharan Toppo, superintendent of the Gutakiya Residential School, and her husband Sunil Toppo have been booked, police said, adding a team of police officials has been sent to arrest the duo.

The incident took place on October 8 last year when the victim had gone to Harrapat village along with other inmates to perform a folk dance during a traditional festival of the region, Sub Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) BN Sharma told PTI over phone.

Sunil Toppo, who was already present there, dragged the girl to a lonely place and raped her. After the incident, he dropped the minor at the hostel, where his wife Mejharan threatened her not to reveal it to anybody, Sharma added.

"Both accused are the residents of Harrapat village close to the Gutakiyapara area where school is located. A police party has been sent to arrest the duo," he added.

According to Ankit Anand, Collector of Jashpur, the incident came to light yesterday when the victim had narrated it to some government official, who had gone for a routine inspection there.

"Mejharan was removed from the post of superintendent for dereliction of duty three days ago, following which the government officials were sent to the hostel," he added.

Police were later informed in this connection and Toppo was suspended today, the Collector said.

This is the third rape case involving tribal minor girl reported in the state in the recent times, police said.

After the rape case involving minor girls of a government-run residential school for tribal girls in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district was reported on January 6, another case of alleged sexual assault on a tribal girl was reported at a residential school of Balod district last month.

The incidents of rape on minors had sparked outrage across the state and keeping this in view, the state government had directed to conduct inspection of all residential school and hostels.